Sampling apparatus

ABSTRACT

First and second angularly disposed conduits are connected to one another in fluid communication with a diverting element positioned in the first conduit for movement between a first position at which materials pass through the first conduit and a second conduit is closed by a sealing element, and a second position at which the first conduit is closed by the diverting element, materials are diverted into the second conduit by the diverting element, and the sealing element is moved to an open position in response to movement of the diverting element.

United States Patent n 1 Keene [11] 3,750,478 Aug.7,1973

[73] Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company,

Bartlesville, Okla.

3,293,918 12/1966 Zavasnik 73/424 X Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser Assistant Examiner-Daniel M. Yasich Attorney-Quigg and Oberlin [57] ABSTRACT First and second angularly disposed conduits are connected to one another in fluid communication with a diverting element positioned in the first conduit for movement between a first position at which materials pass through the first conduit and a second conduit is closed by a sealing element, and a second position at which the first conduit is closed by the diverting element, materials are diverted into the second conduit by the diverting element, and the sealing element is moved to an open position in response to movement of the diverting element.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures [22] Filed: June 5, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 259,715

52 US. Cl .L 73/423 R [51] Int. Cl. G0ln H20 [58] Field 01 Search 73/424, 423 R, 422 R; 193/14, 28, 31 R, 17, 20; 222/487 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,156,196 10/1915 Willis 193/31 R 674,095 5/1901 Overstrom 73/423 R 2,505,950 5/1950 Dwyer et a1. 193/17 X 2,822,908 2/1958 Glaza et a1 193/20 X 2\/ CI: I:: d 34 IO PATENTEDAUG '1 Ian 3.750.478

FIG. 2

SAMPLING APPARATUS It is desirable to provide an improved sampling apparatus.,More particularly, it is desirable to provide a sampling apparatus whereby the sample comprises a complete cross section of the material flowing through a first conduit and which is desired to be sampled. An example is in the sampling of plastic pellets being blended which blending is more precise and rapid if accurate cross-sectional samples of materials can be easily collected for observation of the blending progress. This invention, therefore, resides in first and second angularly disposed conduits connected to one another in fluid communication with a diverting element positioned in the first conduit for movement between a first position at which materials pass through the first conduit and the second conduit is closed by a sealing element, and a second position at which the first conduit is closed by the diverting element, materials are directed into the second conduit by the diverting element, and the sealing element is moved to an open position in response to movement of the diverting element.

Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the disclosure, the appended claims, and the drawing.

The drawing is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 1 shows a frontal view in partial cross section,

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the apparatus operably attached to blending apparatus, and

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the deflecting element.

Referring to FIG. 1, a first conduit 2 has a chamber 4, first and second end portions 6, 8, and a middle portion 10. A second conduit 12 has a chamber 14 and is attached to the middle portion of the first conduit 2 with said chambers 4, 14 being in communication one with the other. Each of the chambers 4, 14 extends downwardly from the first end portion 6 of the first conduit 2.

Preferably, the first conduit 2 is oriented vertically and the second conduit 12 is at an angle of about 45 relative thereto. The conduits 2, 12 are also preferably of a rectangular cross-sectional configuration for more easily sealing the respective chambers 4, 14 as hereafter more fully described.

A diverting element 16 is pivotally connected to the first conduit 2 adjacent the chamber 14 of the second conduit 12. The diverting element 16 is movable between a first position at which said element 16 is directed along the chamber 4 of the first conduit 2 and a second position at which said element 16 is extending across the chamber 4 of the first conduit 2, sealing said first conduit 2 against the passage of material therethrough, and is directed toward the chamber 14 of the second conduit 12 for diverting material from the first chamber into the second chamber for sampling said material.

A sealing element I8 has upper and lower ends 20, 22 and is pivotally connected at the upper end to a wall 24, or 26 of one of the conduits 2, or 12 adjacent an upper portion 28 of the chamber 14 of the second conduit 12. A weighting element 30 is attached to the lower end 22 of the sealing element 18 for gravitationally urging the element 18 to its closed position over the chamber 14. Said element 18 is positioned in the pathway of the diverting element 16 for movement in response to movement of the diverting element 16 whereby the second conduit 12 is closedat the first position of the diverting element 16 and open at the second position of the element I6.

The diverting element 16 can be hand operated or connnected to other apparatus for actuation thereby. For example, the diverting element 16 can be fixedly attached to a shaft 32 that is pivotally attached to the first conduit 2 with said shaft 32 having a handle 34 extending laterally therefrom for moving the diverting element 16 in response to movement of the handle 34.

As shown in FIG. 2, the diverting element 16 can be connected to an apparatus for delivering material into the first conduit whereby a portion of the material is passed into the second conduit 12 for each preselected unit volume of material delivered into the first conduit 2. For example, the diverting element 16 can be connected through a cam 36 to a rotatable shaft 38 of a rotary valve 40 which is utilized for delivering material into the first conduit 2.

To facilitate sealing of the conduit by the sealing element 18 and efficiently directing substantially all of the material with the diverting element 16, while providing an apparatus of simple construction, it is preferred that the first and second conduits be of rectangular crosssectional configuration and the directing element be of a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration as shown in FIG. 3.

In the method of this invention, material is blended in a blender (not shown) and discharged therefrom via a rotary valve 40 for example into a first conduit 2 for directing the blended material to other locations for further processing or for recycle to the blender.

In order to observe the results of the blending process, it is desirable to intermittently recover a sample of the material'being discharged from the blender. It has surprisingly been discovered that where a substantially complete cross section of the material stream discharging form the blender is not recovered for observation, testing, etc., that sample will not be representative of the material stream and will often mislead an operator to continue blending operations. This unnecessary blending represents a waste of power, labor, and equipment. For example, with the apparatus and method of this invention, blending time has often been reduced by 50 percent.

In the method of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the diverting element 16 is intermittently, periodically moved to the second position and there maintained for a preselected period of time. The material thereby diverted is substantially the entire stream discharging from the blender and samples are caused to be taken at preselected intervals and are of substantially equal volumes. The volume of each sample taken and sample intervals are controllable by changing the speed of cam rotation and the configuration of the cam. These changes can easily, readily bemade by one skilled in the art.

Other modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawing, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited thereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A material sampling apparatus, comprising:

a first conduit having a chamber, first, second, and

middle portions for passing material therethrough;

a second conduit having a chamber and being attached to the middle portion of the first conduit, said chamber of the second conduit being in communication with the chamber of the first conduit and said chambers each extending in a common direction; diverting element connected to the first conduit and being movable between a first position at which said element is directed substantially parallel along the chamber of the first conduit for passing material through the first conduit and a second position at which said element is extending across the chamber of the first conduit and directed toward the chamber of the second conduit for substantially completely sealing the first conduit and directing the material into the second conduit; and first means for opening and closing the chamber of the second conduit in response to contact by the diverting element during movement between the first and second positions, said chamber of the second conduit being closed at the first position of the diverting element and open at the second position of said diverting element, said first means being an elongated sealing element pivotally connected at an upper end to a wall of one of the conduits adjacent an upper portion of the chamber of the second conduit and having a weighted element at a lower end of the sealing element for gravitationally urging the element to its closed position over the chamber of the second conduit.

2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the angle between the chambers is about 45.

3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the chambers are of a rectangular cross-sectional configuration.

4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the diverting element is fixedly attached to a shaft that is pivotally attached to the first conduit with said shaft having a handle extending laterally therefrom for moving the diverting element in response to movement of the handle.

5. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first conduit is maintained at about a vertical orientation and the second conduit extends downwardly therefrom at an angle about 45 relative to the first conduit.

6. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including second means for selectively delivering material into the first conduit and co-operating with said diverting element for passing a portion of the material into the second conduit for each preselected unit volume of material directed into the first conduit.

7. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second means is a cam element connected to a rotatable shaft of a rotary valve for delivery of material into the first conduit.

1! t t i l 

1. A material sampling apparatus, comprising: a first conduit having a chamber, first, second, and middle portions for passing material therethrough; a second conduit having a chamber and being attached to the middle portion of the first conduit, said chamber of the second conduit being in communiCation with the chamber of the first conduit and said chambers each extending in a common direction; a diverting element connected to the first conduit and being movable between a first position at which said element is directed substantially parallel along the chamber of the first conduit for passing material through the first conduit and a second position at which said element is extending across the chamber of the first conduit and directed toward the chamber of the second conduit for substantially completely sealing the first conduit and directing the material into the second conduit; and first means for opening and closing the chamber of the second conduit in response to contact by the diverting element during movement between the first and second positions, said chamber of the second conduit being closed at the first position of the diverting element and open at the second position of said diverting element, said first means being an elongated sealing element pivotally connected at an upper end to a wall of one of the conduits adjacent an upper portion of the chamber of the second conduit and having a weighted element at a lower end of the sealing element for gravitationally urging the element to its closed position over the chamber of the second conduit.
 2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the angle between the chambers is about 45*.
 3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the chambers are of a rectangular cross-sectional configuration.
 4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the diverting element is fixedly attached to a shaft that is pivotally attached to the first conduit with said shaft having a handle extending laterally therefrom for moving the diverting element in response to movement of the handle.
 5. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first conduit is maintained at about a vertical orientation and the second conduit extends downwardly therefrom at an angle about 45* relative to the first conduit.
 6. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including second means for selectively delivering material into the first conduit and co-operating with said diverting element for passing a portion of the material into the second conduit for each preselected unit volume of material directed into the first conduit.
 7. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second means is a cam element connected to a rotatable shaft of a rotary valve for delivery of material into the first conduit. 